Trent Cotchin drops staggering claim about why Dustin Martin isn't coming out of retirement

Trent Cotchin says there is a "zero to one per cent chance" that Dustin Martin will perform a stunning retirement backflip and play on with the Gold Coast Suns in 2024. Last week it was confirmed Martin approached the Suns over a potential move north only weeks after he appeared to retire from the AFL.

Dusty was afforded a rousing farewell at the MCG for Richmond's final home game of the season - coincidentally against the Gold Coast side he is being linked with. The Herald Sun claims Martin met with Hardwick and there were talks that he could reunite with former Tigers premiership coach Hardwick at the Suns as a free agent. The club confirmed Martin had reached out to the Suns in a statement to the publication.

Trent Cotchin pours cold water on Dustin Martin reports

But former Tigers captain Cotchin - who won three premierships alongside Martin at Richmond - told Channel Seven's 'Talking Footy' on Tuesday night there was next to no chance of the three-time Norm Smith Medallist coming out of retirement to play for the Gold Coast, or any other club. "I think there is a zero to one per cent chance that he pulls on a Suns guernsey, or any other guernsey for that matter," Cotchin said.

"But in saying that you can understand why the likes of Gold Coast and Dimma (Hardwick) are teasing the idea of maybe it eventuating. I don't know why and maybe you guys have opinions on why it might help their footy club but they're not in finals but they're in the papers every day and it builds awareness on the footy club.

"There's probably a part of me that hopes it doesn't happen because of the love I have and that I think it would be nice for him to end up being a one-club player with the Richmond footy club. But footy is a bloody tough game and to move and maybe that's the fresh start he needs but to move away in a new environment where they're building and it's going to look a lot different to the latter stages of his career looked like at the Tigers, it's a big call."

While many feel Martin has the right to choose if he wants to play on for a different club, it's the way the saga has unfolded that's ruffled a few feathers. Martin retired without breaking any contract and reportedly has until October to decide whether or not to play on before the AFL lodge his retirement papers.

It means Martin could be available as a free agent on a list position worth around $300,000 - a very low figure for a triple premiership and Norm Smith Medal winner. Richmond also wouldn't receive any compensation if Dusty did head to the Suns, with AFL pundit Kane Cornes highly critical of the recent reports.

Dustin Martin's potential retirement backflip causes uproar

“It’s a really ordinary look for Dustin Martin. For him to basically not want to play this year and in the background pushing to get to another club,” Cornes said on SEN Radio. “If he wants to continue, stay at Richmond. Finish as a Richmond player. That’s what he should be doing. He didn’t want to play this year and he’s been trying to get to another club and pushing that. In five years time we won’t remember this and it won’t affect his legacy, but if there’s motivation to play it should be at Richmond, not Gold Coast.”

Martin did not enjoy the best season for the Tigers in 2024 having played 13 games in the club's horror campaign. Martin averaged 17.4 disposals, which was down from his career average of 24.2. He was well below his career average of kicks per game with just 9.8 and averaged less than a goal per game.

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Former Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos also warned Gold Coast against making a play for Martin due to fears it could destabilise the playing group at the Suns. “It’s so interesting, particularly when he’s retired, that’s the added factor to it. If he had played 20 games this year and the Suns had talked him into going up there, this may be a different conversation,” Roos told the ABC’s AFL Daily podcast.

“We’re (recruiting) a player that’s retired a Richmond legend, does it send the wrong message? Probably – it probably does a bit, it sends to your team that ‘I’m not confident in you, I’m now going to get a player that’s in retirement … to come out and get us where we want to get to’. Unless Dimma (Hardwick) has gone to the leadership group, or the leadership group has gone to Dimma and said ‘we want Dustin Martin’ – without that conversation, I think it sends the wrong message.”